


Of Bird and Bear

by hivecaptor



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, M/M, POV Muriel, POV Third Person, Size Difference, trauma mention, violence mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-19 06:16:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19351180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hivecaptor/pseuds/hivecaptor
Summary: "I've done terrible things, yet you never seem to judge me for them. Why?"





	Of Bird and Bear

Muriel slumped through the wide doorway of his hut to find Teddy, curled up on the armchair in the corner. Had it been anyone else, Muriel might have startled and immediately pushed him out the door. Having Teddy in his hut was hard to get accustomed to at first and the both of them had been reluctant to spend time together, but Asra had insisted upon it. To be frank, most of the time, Muriel didn’t take much notice of the apprentice’s presence, and vice-versa. Once when they had talked, which didn’t happen often, Teddy had reported that Asra would toss him out and tell him to go over to Muriel’s. There was some sort of mutual understanding that had formed between the two of them that as long as Teddy didn’t bother him or mess anything up within the hut, they would be civil. Maybe this was what Asra had meant when he said it would be good for Muriel to have company once in a while. 

As much as he hated to admit it, evidence seemed to suggest that there may be some truth to the statement. Teddy often just sat in a corner, minding his own business and reading, cleaning, or cooking for Muriel, all of which he was immensely grateful for. It wasn’t that he disliked it when the apprentice did talk to him, it was just that he appreciated the fact that Teddy seemed to understand that in general, socialization was not his thing. But Muriel would be lying if he said that he didn’t look forward to the feeling that came with finding the little imp in his hut, just a bit. Teddy had gotten up as soon as he had gotten an eyeful of the heavy load he carried. He tried to offer aid with the furs that were slung over Muriel’s back, but he shrugged him off, fine on his own as usual.

As previously mentioned, it had taken him a while to get used to Teddy in all respects. For so many reasons, be it by choice or force, Muriel was used to being left alone. Even though there were many times when Teddy felt to Muriel like more like a mellow, comforting presence than an actual human, an actual human he was, and Muriel still didn’t know how to feel about having one of those basically living with him. Had the concept been suggested to him a month before, when Teddy was still that stranger shopkeep, he would have shunned it, brushed the mere idea away without a second thought. But now, he welcomed Teddy’s company. There was a sort of magic to him that was wholly other than what the Arcana had gifted him with. Over the past month, he had opened Muriel up. He supposed that Teddy was like light in that way. Even in the darkest of places, he would find the smallest crack or ridge and break through.

As per their usual routine, Muriel rested the furs on the table and sat down on the bed. Teddy, already up, busied himself with tidying things on the shelves and brushing around the seemingly ever-present layer of dirt and dust that lay atop everything in the hut. They had settled into a sort-of rhythm through the month that they had been… acquainted? He wasn’t quite sure what to call it. Teddy was humming a tune softly, and Muriel smiled to himself, recognizing it as an old folk song that he had taught the apprentice himself. There was a sort of peaceful magic to him, far beyond what the Arcana had gifted him with. If it had been anyone else, anyone else at all, Muriel would have described it as ‘odd’, or ‘strange’, or ‘not quite right’, but none of those fit because Teddy was so right. He seemed to fit in anywhere, be it the shop, the castle, or Muriel’s little forest nook. No, Teddy moved like there was something more to him, some otherworldly power which Muriel himself could only begin to comprehend. Asra had taken him to the realms of the Arcana before, and Teddy was something entirely apart from them. He didn’t deserve a person like that. He wasn’t right for that strange magnificence to the apprentice that was so fascinating in the first place. Without really noticing how it had happened, Muriel was on his feet.

“Can I get you something, Muriel?”

“Why are you here?”

Teddy’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Muriel cringed and shook his head, rearranging the words inside it. Things never seemed to come out of his mouth how he meant them to. “I mean, why are you still here? You told me that Asra stopped making you come.”

Teddy cocked his head. “I like it here.”

“Why?”

He laughed softly. “It’s nice here. You’re here.”

“And?”

“You don’t actually think I don’t like you, do you, Muriel?”

He shrugged. If he had to be perfectly honest, he didn’t know. Nobody had ever said Muriel’s name like that. It rolled off of Teddy’s tongue like honey, like a whole new word. Most people usually said that they didn’t notice, care about, remember him, etc., but here Teddy was, a boy that actually liked him for him and nothing else, if he was telling Muriel the truth. 

“I don’t deserve you.” There, he had said it. “I don’t deserve any of this.” He gestured vaguely around the hut which Teddy had straightened up and, Muriel assumed unconsciously, added his own little touch to the decor. A green scarf had found its way onto the back of the armchair and a multi-colored blanket had replaced the plain comforter on Muriel’s bed. Now that Teddy was there, everything had a place, and everything was in it.

The apprentice hesitantly stepped forward, exhaling with relief when he was not pushed away. Muriel cringed. Was he that terrifying, even to Teddy? “You deserve everything, Muriel.”

There it was again, the way that he said his name. 

Silence hung in the air as Muriel let the words sink in. There was no way that they could be true. He had done so many horrible things, yet Teddy never seemed to judge him for them. Mustering up all of the courage that he didn’t have, Muriel stepped forward. Teddy looked up at him with those chocolate eyes, brassy curls framing his sweet, innocent face. He wasn’t sure which one of them had caused it, but Muriel was suddenly hyper-aware of how close they were. He swallowed hard.

Every muscle in Muriel’s body was screaming at him to leave, run away, get out before you hurt him just like you hurt everyone else.

He flinched when a small, soft hand caressed his jaw. Teddy was still there, still looking up at him, and still smiling. It was like he had read his mind. “You won’t hurt me, Muriel.” He said quietly.

He let Teddy’s words sink in for a minute and slowly, carefully placed a hand on his waist, letting the fingers fan out over his ribcage.Teddy was only covered by a thin tunic, Muriel’s tunic, so he could still feel everything pulsing just under the surface, be it blood or magic. Teddy was okay, everything was alright. He was in his hut, saying Teddy’s name as if it were a prayer, and not in the coliseum, murmuring real prayers over one of his victims’ mangled bodies. Teddy was alive, so alive. He took a deep, shuddering breath and moved his hand upwards. Teddy sighed softly and moved his hand to cup Muriel’s neck.

“Is this okay?”

Teddy nodded. He slipped both arms around the smaller boy’s waist, pulling him into a gentle embrace. It was a sparrow in the palm of a bear. Teddy’s arms were delicately draped over Muriel’s neck and his eyes burned with tears threatening to escape. This tenderness was so foreign to him. Before the curse, everyone had treated him as some sort of monster, a beast that was to be contained and punished. He was not Muriel, he was the Scourge of the South, a vicious, rabid, killing machine. But the way Teddy spoke to him, the way he held him there, so soft, gentle, and sure, it was all that Muriel had ever wanted. The tears flowed freely now, soaking into the shoulder of Teddy’s tunic. He drew back ever so slightly and moved to brush off Teddy’s shoulder. 

“I’m sorry.”

Pale fingers found his stubbled jaw, and Muriel looked down and into Teddy’s face. His cheeks were wet too, whether from his own tears or Muriel’s, one would never be able to tell. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” 

“Are you alright?”

“I’m alright.”

**Author's Note:**

> First serious fic really, but I love Muriel so uhhhh yeehaw.  
> I'm trying to yeet out all of my recreational writing before Camp Nanowrimo because y'all know there's going to be no time for that.


End file.
